How do I know if I should try a Personal Sound Amplifier or a Hearing Aid

If you’re unsure of which of these two products are right for you we hope we can give you some helpful points to consider.

Personal Sound Amplifiers are for those individuals who have normal hearing but find themselves in certain listening situations needing help to hear what is going on.  Perhaps you’re at a lecture and are finding it difficult to hear the speaker or maybe you need a little extra volume for TV listening. This is what a PSAP is for.

On the other hand if you’re always having trouble hearing and you think you may no longer have normal hearing, then you should look into getting a hearing aid by seeing a hearing healthcare professional (Audiologist, Licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser, or Doctor). If you think you have a medical issue that is causing your hearing loss then you should not only consider a hearing aid but see an audiologist or doctor. Hearing aids are medical devices used to help you hear better and can only be fit by a hearing health care professional. You must make an appointment and have your hearing evaluated so that the right hearing aid will be fit for your specific type of hearing loss.

PSAPs are readily available on line. Since they are designed for someone with normal hearing they do not require a hearing evaluation by a hearing healthcare professional. No appointment is needed. Just purchase one and you’re ready to hear better in those special situations.

The difference between PSAPs and hearing aids has been compared to the differences between reading glasses you can buy anywhere versus prescription eyeglasses. Reading glasses are for people who have normal vision, but maybe in a dark restaurant need some help in order to read the menu. Personal Sound Amplifiers are for these kinds of situations in the hearing world.

Like prescription eyeglasses are for people with more significant vision issues issues where you should see an optometrist or ophthalmologist, Hearing Aids are for people who have hearing loss or medical issues related to their hearing and should see an audiologist or ENT.